Food pump

ABSTRACT

A FOOD PUMP FOR CONVEYING VEGETABLES, FRUITS AND OTHER WETTABLE MATERIALS IN A WATERLINE FROM A POINT OF ACCUMULATION TO A REMOTE POINT. THE CONVEYED MATERIAL IS DEWATERED AND THE WATER IS RETURNED FOR REFUSE. A SPECIAL RETURN WATER SCREEN REMOVES PARTICLES, SUCH AS HULLS AND DEBRIS, FROM THE FLOW OF WATER. IN THE EVENT OF POWER FAILURE, LOSS OF PRIME OR BACKWASH, THIS SCREEN WOULD ALSO SERVE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES OR FOOD IN THE TANK.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1932 Chapman.....................

[2]] Appl. No. [22] Filed Oct. 31, 1968 5/1939 Chapman......v..............

[45) Patented June28, 1971 [73] Assignee W. J. Savage Company, Inc. Primary Examiner-Andres H. Nielsen Knoxville, Tenn. Attorney-Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis Al ISTRACT: A food pump for conveying vegetables, fruits FOOD PUMP and other wettable materials in a waterline from a point of ac- 9 claimss Drawing Figs cumulation to a remote point The conveyed material is dewatered and the water is returned for reuse. A special return water screen removes particles, such as hulls and debris, from the flow of water. In the event of power failure, loss of prime or backwash, this screen would also serve to hold the vegetables or food in the tank.

n w 1 54 52 60 B3 a 1 C mm IF 1] 0 55 ll ATENTEUJUN28I97I 34588.17.

SHEET 3 OF 3 all 1M, M4; M44;

ATTORNEYS FOOD PUMP OBJECTS AND DESCRIPTION This invention relates to improvements in food-handling pumps of the character used for pumping food products between a point of accumulation and a remote point where the products are to be treated and/or elevated fl'om a lower elevation to a higher elevation.

Pumps of this character that have been used heretofore have operated on the vortex principle. The product is mixed with water and forced by the pump through a line to a suitable remote point, after which the water is returned for reuse. With the system in use heretofore, the pump is in danger of losing its prime by reason of the pump sucking air into the line through the vortex that is created in the pump tank. In the event that a backwash should occur through the line for any reason, the product may overflow the capacity of the tank onto the floor.

One object of this invention is to improve the construction of food-handling pumps and to eliminate the objections encountered heretofore in such pumps as have been in service for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for the effective screening of the recirculated water in the return line, not only to remove the hulls and debris from the water that is returned for reuse, but also to retain the product within the tank in the event of a backwash or power failure and to keep it from overflowing onto the floor. A screen at this point also eliminates the need for a return water reel or other recirculated water screen as has been employed customarily heretofore.

These objects may be accomplished, according to one embodiment of the invention, by providing a feed compartment to which the pump is connected by a bottom suction tube which will not create a vortex in the feed compartment. The feed compartment is in open communication with a return water compartment. Within the return water compartment is a perforated screen extending throughout the area of the open chamber thereof so as to screen the return water in its path to the feed compartment and to the pump.

In the event that a backwash should occur with respect to the pump, the product would be trapped beneath the screen and thus confined in the chamber instead of allowing it to overflow onto the floor. Fresh water is supplied at such a rate that there will be some overflow to wash out the hulls and debris from the surface of the screen over a baffle at the discharge edge thereof, which will then be directed to a suitable point of disposal, such as a sewer line. This screen serves not only to remove the foreign particles from the return water to the pump, but in the event of backwash, it will confine the product in the tank against spilling out on the floor.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the food-handling pump;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section therethrough on the line 3- 3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the pump; and

FIG. 5 is a detail section on the line 5-5 in FIG. I.

This foocbhandling pump is adapted to be used for pumping products through a line from one point to another and/or elevated from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. It may be used for handling wettable products such as vegetables, fruits or other items that are to be conveyed for processing and/or that are to be frozen or canned, such for example as peas, and are adapted to be treated as by the removal of the hulls therefrom, washing, etc. The product is conveyed in water, pumped through the line. The treating system is not il- Iustrated in detail, but the food-handling pump is adapted to be connected and used in place of pumps that have been employed for the purpose heretofore.

In this embodiment of the invention we have illustrated the food-handling pump as including a subbase generally indicated by the numeral 1, which supports the operating parts thereof as a unit. The subbase is adapted to be mounted in a suitable position on the floor and may be fabricated so as to hold the parts in a unitary assembly.

Mounted in side-by-side relation upon the subbase l are tanks 2 and 3. These tanks 2 and 3 are preferably made of sheet metal and are formed with a wall therebetween having an opening 4 therethrough so as to maintain open communication between the tanks 2 and 3. The opening 4 is immediately above the bottom of each tank so as to provide communication at the bottom only, but for free flow of water through the opening. This location of the opening 4 produces a flow of water across the bottom of tank 2 assisting in the movement of the product into the pump inlet.

The tank 2 forms a feed compartment and receives the product to be conveyed by water in the line. This tank has an open top and may have a fresh water makeup line for supplying a quantity of fresh water thereto.

Mounted on the subbase l beside the 2 is a suitable conveyor-type pump, such as a centrifugal pump, generally indicated at 5. The inlet of the pump Sis connected with an inlet pipe 6, the top side portion of which is cut away to embrace the bottom of the tank 2 and to form a half-round section 7 in registry with an opening 8 in the bottom of the tank 2. This eliminates the vortex principle used heretofore with centrifugal pumps for this purpose and allows the centrifugal pump to convey the mixture of product and water more uniformly without losing its prime. The product and water will flow out of the bottom of the tank 2 and through the pipe 6 into the inlet opening of the centrifugal pump 5.

The impeller of the centrifugal pump will covey the product and water through a discharge outlet 9 to a line 10 leading to the next operating stage of the system, as indicated in FIG. 2. The food-handling system is not illustrated in detail because this food-handling pump can be installed in any suitable or desired system according to the needs thereof and to replace conventional pumps in use heretofore.

The centrifugal pump 5 is shown as operated by an electric motor 11 mounted on an upright stand 12 supported on the subbase I over and around the drive shaft of the centrifugal pump. The motor 11 acts through power transmission means, such as V-belts, enclosed within a housing 13, connected with the power shaft of the centrifugal pump 5 to rotate the impeller thereof.

The tank 3 forms the return water compartment and is adapted to receive the water from the line after it has been used to convey the product to a remote point and for resupplying the return water to the centrifugal pump. The tank 3 has a sloping top, as shown in FIG. 3, with an end wall 14 at the end of the tank 3 opposite from the point of admission thereto of the return waterline. This wall 14 has a drain opening 15 therein, normally sealed by a removable cap 16. Drain opening 15 is located at the bottom of tank 3 and is connected to tank 3 by a drain pipe, the top side portion of which is cut away thereby forming a half-round section with the opening in the bottom of the tank. Upon removal of the cap 16, the tank can be easily cleaned out.

The upper end of the wall 14 determines the operating water level which is below the top of the tank 3 so as to allow for an overflow into an overflow chamber 17 which extends across the end of the tank 3 outside the end wall 14, as will be apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3. The overflow chamber 17 has a discharge opening 18 for directing the water therefrom to a suitable point of discharge, such for example as the sewer. Any particles of the product that may be washed into the overflow chamber 17, such for example as the hulls, debris, or the like, will also be conveyed out of the tank in this manner and into the sewer or otherwise.

The water return line is shown at 19 and is connected with a distributing spout 20. This spout 20 has a downwardly directed forward portion 21 so arranged as to provide a discharge and distribution mouth 22 extending substantially across the width of the tank 3 and to direct the water from the return line 19 in a direction generally downwardly and lengthwise of the tank, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3. The spout 20 is supported on brackets 23 and 24 extending laterally to the opposite edges of the tank 3 upon which these brackets are supported.

A screen is indicated generally at 25 and is mounted at one end by a flanged edge portion 26 upon the upper edge of the wall 14 while the lateral edges of the screen 25 are seated against the sidewalls of the tank 3 and are either secured rigidly thereto or removably mounted on suitable supports thereon. The screen 25 is dished or channel-shaped along its length, with upturned lateral edges 27 so as to form a depression within the screen lengthwise thereof and of gradually increasing depth toward its discharge end for collecting hulls and other debris brought back to the food pump through the return line. We prefer to use a perforated plate for this screen 25 having perforations of a size that will trap the debris as well as the product and allow flow of water therethrough.

In operation, the product is supplied to the tank 2 and it is preferred that a fresh water makeup line be provided for this tank adjusted to provide a small amount of flow adequate to keep the water clean and to provide water for overflow 117. The product and water are drawn from the tank 2 by the centrifugal pump 5 through the inlet nozzle 7 and pipe 6 and are discharged through the outlet 9 and line 10 to the point of treatment in the system.

The return water is directed back through the line 19 and the spout 20 into the upper end of the tank 3 over the screen 25. This return water then flows through the screen while removing any hulls or foreign particles therefrom and downward through the tank 3. A major portion of the return water passes through opening 4 in the bottom portion thereof into the feed compartment formed by the tank 2 where it is mixed with the fresh makeup water. A small portion of the return water passes upward through the screen whereby the hulls and debris screened out of the return water by the screen 25 are washed over the lower end of the screen at 26 into the overflow chamber 17 thence to the point of discharge, as for example the sewer, through the opening 18.

In the event there should be backflow through the line for any reason, the material would be trapped by the screen 25 in the tank 3 and could not overflow onto the floor. This screen also eliminates the need for a return water reel or recirculated water screen such as is frequently employed in systems of this type.

This food-handling pump provides for the product mixed with water in the pump tank 2 and the combined mixture is then pumped into the line to a remote point. The water is returned to the food pump and recirculated in a continuous stream, with a new product added in the feed compartment 2 in a continuous manner.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in one embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

We claim:

1. A food-handling pump comprising a feed supply compartment having an opening in the bottom thereof extending to one side of said compartment, an inlet nozzle beneath and connected with the bottom opening, a return water compartment, means immediately above the bottom of the compartments for flow of water between said compartments, pumping means connected with the nozzle and having means for receiving water therefrom, means for returning water to the return water compartment, a screen extending over the return water compartment in the top portion thereof, and means mounting the screen in a fixed inclined position with the upper end adjacent the return water means.

2. A food-handling pump according to claim ll, wherein the screen is disposed in an inclined position, and an overflow changer adjacent the lower end of the screen in position to receive material washed therefrom.

3. A food-handling pump according to claim 11, wherein the screen is trough-shaped and of gradually increasing depth lengthwise thereof from the upper to the ower end portions thereof.

4. A food-handling pump according to claim ll, wherein the water return means includes a spout having a discharge opening extending transversely of the return water compartment throughout the major portion of the width thereof and with means for distributing and directing water therefrom downwardly and lengthwise of the screen.

5. A food-handling pump according to claim 1 wherein the outlet opening in the bottom of the feed supply compartment is elongated in a direction away from said side of the compartment and the inlet nozzle is trough-shaped and extends along the bottom of said compartment enclosing the outlet opening and connected at one end thereof to a centrifugal pump.

6. A food-handling pump according to claim ll wherein the means for flow of water between the compartments is an opening immediately above the bottom of the adjacent sides of the return water and feed supply compartments.

7. A food-handling pump according to claim I, wherein the screen is inclined, an overflow chamber at the lower end of the screen in position for backflow from the feed supply compartment through the means of communication and upward through the screen for cleaning the screen.

8. A food-handling pump according to claim 1, wherein the bottom opening in the feed supply compartment is elongated, and the nozzle is trough-shaped and surrounds said opening receiving flow therefrom.

9. A food-handling device comprising feed and return water tanks disposed in upright side-by-side relation with a wall therebetween, means forming an opening in the wall adjacent the bottom of the tanks, said feed tank having an opening in the bottom thereof with a trough-shaped nozzle beneath and connected with the opening, pumping means connected with the trough-shaped nozzle for receiving water and food products from the feed tank, means for directing the withdrawn water to one end portion of the return water tank and having a discharge nozzle at said end, a trough-shaped screen extending lengthwise in the return water tank and substantially from side to side thereof substantially covering the return water tank above the first said opening, and means mounting the screen in said tank in an inclined position and with the upper end beneath the return water nozzle for downward flow of products over the screen. 

